Pampered Chef Conference... :-(

The Pampered Chef National Conference was in full swing last week... New product announcements, new brochure launch and all the excitement of the directors events and gala dinner... Sadly I wasn't there :-( 

Team Tulip 2010

Back in June I had to make the difficult decision to stop trading as a PC Consultant!  Now as regular readers on here know, I love my job, love Pampered Chef,  the products, my work colleagues and the flexibility of running my own business.

I started my own Pampered Chef business primarily for the flexibility it offered me.  I was told I could earn a full time wage in part time hours and with money tight and time even tighter  I thought I had nothing to lose but to give it ago.  It needed to fit around caring for my in-laws, they were both ill and needed someone around to attend hospital appointment and pop round at the drop of a hat... or indeed a dropped tablet or  a doctors home visit... who has an employer who would allow that much flexibility?  Pampered Chef did.... I ran my business successfully for 3 years, juggling the oldies in the day time with paperwork and combining a great social life with my shows in the evening. I never had to do more than 3 a week to give earning that much promised 'full time' wage... I was in my element... I had a lovely team, a couple of shows a week, money in my pocket and a kitchen full of fab quality products but then in a blink of an eye it all changed!

My mum who has had health issues for a number of years was registered disabled... the things that she had struggled with for years were now beyond her, it was pretty obvious from the outset that she was going to need long term help. I am the type of person who likes to do things well, I am quite hard on myself, if I'm going to do something I have to do it well, it was clear I was going to have to spend time with Mum which led me to the decision to edit my life. I had to prioritise and sadly I had to pass my team on to my Director and give up my consultancy...pass the in-laws on to the rest of his family and care for my Mum full time!!!  I  still have my part time job with the Diocese and that is about just enough especially as my own health hasn't been 100%

I do miss it but I've made the right decision, Mum is happier, I can spend time with her during the day and be home with my family in the evenings.

With that decision under my belt and loads of consultants as friends I have become a preferred customer... with the NEW BROCHURE out in September with 19 new products  I WANT THEM ALL.....

Short Glasses to match my others!

To all my ex hosts, guests and friends who would also like a new brochure get in touch with Liz Cooke and she'll send you one too!

Food Processor

- same mechanism as the salad spinner which was fantastic, so I'm expecting good things on this

- A great addition to my glamping kit!!!

If you would like to host a show...
are in Swindon contact Kerry Heaphy
in Gloucester contact Maggie Kirby
or if you're in the Stonehouse area contact Sarah L Jackson

Heads up on the new pink products available in October

How to deglaze your stoneware after roasting meat and make fab gravy!

As anyone who has ever spoken to me for more than 10 mins knows, I love my stoneware, I have nearly every size that Pampered Chef do and I use at least one piece every single day!  The question I get asked most is, 'how do you make proper gravy if you can't put it on the hob (stoneware is for oven use only, no grill or hob allowed!) Well, I'll tell you.... 

Roasting meat in stoneware is so simple, I never use foil and I never have to worry about my meat drying out as the flavour and the moisture stay in the food. I always cook pork in an oven that has been preheated to its highest temperature, roasting it on high for 30 mins until the crackling is crispy and golden. Then I turn it down to 150c for 35 mins for every pound of meat I have... slow roasting is the best! (For best results I dry and salt the pork crackling before cooking)

Once I have roasted the meat, I transfer it to a warm plate to rest. I am then left with my stoneware looking like this (see photo above) All dark and sticky and lovely... this is the bit I need for the gravy. In a regular tin I would put this on the hob and get it hot and add water or stock to it and cook the gravy straight in the roasting tin.  Well,with stoneware, it is already really hot when it comes out of the oven and it will stay that way for nearly 30 minutes, so this is what I do..

I pour off all the fat and juices I can into a pan.... I use my little blue Le Cruet fondue pan as like Stoneware it stays hot long after you've taken it off the heat and its pretty enough to serve it straight to the table. (If you are trying to be healthy, you could drain some of the fat off first!)

I am  now left with the stoneware with no juices in just the sticky bits.... using water from the kettle that is roughly the same temperature as the stoneware, I pour into the pan and using a fork I scrape all the sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. I don't use too much water, just enough to dilute all those lovely bits needed for the gravy... (WARNING!!!!! Don't use cold water on hot stoneware or hot water on cold stoneware...the difference in temperature will crack your dish!!!)

Your stoneware will look like this once you have scrapped the sticky bits off !

 Heat the meat juices in the pan until bubbling

Add a tablespoon of plain flour to these hot juices and mix with a whisk, beating until the flour is cooked, this may look a bit lumpy at first but bear with it..... mix to a smooth paste, then add the sticky water from the stoneware into the pan a little at a time until it becomes a thick gravy....

Now add stock or potato/vegetable water to dilute gravy to the right consistency, boil for a couple of minutes before turning it to a very low heat. If using just potato or vegetable water, add a stock cube. The knorr stock pots give the best flavour.  I also add a large teaspoon of marmite to my gravy, love it or hate it, it gives great colour and an added depth you don't get without it. (marmite haters don't worry you can't taste it but it does make such a difference so don't leave it out.) Allow the gravy to sit on a low light for as long as possible, the longer you leave it the better the gravy is, keep stirring every now and again.  If it looks like its getting too thick, let it down with a little vegetable water or water from your kettle. 

Don't forget to eat as much crackling before offering it to your family members or guests, once it leaves the kitchen you'll only get an empty plate back....

If you make a large pan of gravy every time you roast meat, you can cool and freeze left overs in one cup prep bowls... ideal for mid week meals. 

Tip - so you don't end up loosing all your prep bowl to the freezer, once your gravy is frozen, dip the bottom of the bowls into hot water to release contents allowing you to free up prep bowls and then store gravy in freezer bags.

Chicken Tikka Masala Stoneware-Style!

For Sarah with love...

This is one of the best stoneware curries, its got an authentic Indian taste and you can easily turn the heat up by adding more chilli's.  If you would rather not use a tikka paste you could always follow this Chicken Tikka Recipe but probably wouldn't do it in the stoneware as the raw spices need to be fried off to give off the best flavours.

Chicken Tikka Masala Stoneware-Style!

5 chicken breasts for Deep Dish Baker or Square Baker – (can double ingredients for Rectangular Baker)
¾ jar Tikka Masala paste
250g natural yogurt
I tbs olive oil
1 red onion – finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 fresh green chilli
1 inch piece root ginger – finely grated or chopped
4 fl oz / 125 ml water
4 fl oz / 125 ml double cream
Bunch fresh coriander – finely chopped
1tbsp lemon juice
2/3 tsp cumin seeds

Method
1. Chop uncooked chicken into bite size pieces using Santoku knife and Cutting Board. Add the chicken to the Classic Batter Bowl. Chop the red onion and chilli using the Food Chopper and add to the bowl.

2. Use the Micro Scraper to take the masala paste out of the jar. Snip coriander with Kitchen Shears into a Prep Bowl, and then add to the bowl. Use the Easy Adjustable Measuring spoon to measure out the olive oil. Squeeze the lemon using the Citrus Press into Prep Bowl.

3. Measure the cream and water using the Easy Read Measuring Cup. Add the yogurt using the Measure-All cup. Crush the garlic with Garlic Press, and then grate the ginger using the Microplane. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl using the Mix’N Scraper.


4. Measure the cumin seeds using Adjustable Measuring spoon and place in a Prep Bowl, add a knob of butter and microwave until seeds pop. Add to mixture, stir and pour into stone on180-200 degrees for 35 mins – make sure curry is bubbling nicely in oven.

5. Serve with Coconut Rice using the Rice Cooker Plus in the microwave.

Makes 8 Servings
• 4 cups Thai jasmine white rice (note that other types of rice do not work for this recipe)
• 3 cups of good-quality coconut milk (regular or light!)
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons dry shredded/desiccated unsweetened coconut

Place rice in rice cooker. Add the water, coconut milk, salt, and coconut. Stir well.

Cover and put in microwave. Give it five minutes on “Full” power and then another 10-minutes on “Medium” (50% power).

Gently fluff with a fork before serving (some of the coconut milk may have risen to the surface - just stir it back into the rice).

The rice should be “sticky” – this is normal.

At one of my Curry Night Special Pampered Chef Shows I take along a batch of Naan bread dough and let each guest cook their own bread.
This is great fun, they all roll out their individual naans with the bakers roller and cook it over a medium heat in the square griddle pan they are delicious and really do make a curry night special.  If you'd like to know how to make them, follow the link here

Any questions? Just ask!

The homemade Pitta Saga...

I had friends coming round for lunch, we'd had a big meal the day before and had a fridge full of leftovers and while I didn't want to short change them with warmed up seconds I didn't want to be wasteful either... what to serve them....hmmmmm... think, think, think.....I spend my free time reading a number of food blogs, the few I follow on Twitter are foodies and many of my Facebook friends are foodies... I read alot about what other people are cooking so over the past week I had read a link and followed it about the making of homemade pittas.  It struck me as I gazed into my fridge that the leftover lamb and chickpea side dish could have the makings of a Greek Meze and somewhere in cyber space there was a pitta recipe just waiting for me... only problem was, I couldn't find it!!! I checked my own blog only to find that I had made them once before... but the link was broken..I still had no recipe. I asked who was responsible for whetting my appetite... who, in the last week or two had made homemade pitta with such fabulous results that I had stored it away in my 'must do' folder in my head... well it didn't take long for Domestic Jules to get back to me... it was her, she'd made them, they were truly fabulous and she very kindly sent me the pitta recipe link.... so I made them...only thing I did different is I cooked them on my Pampered Chef Rectangle Stone, I think it helped it to puff up and become crisp on the underneath too.

I agree, strange shape and probably a little well done but very nice all the same!

Check out Domestic Jules blog to see how they really should be cooked!

With those I served the reheated lamb from the day before. It had been served sprinkled with pomegranates so I carefully picked those out and squeezed the juice into the meat. Wrapped it in foil and slowly reheated it and came out trumps... moist and moreish Lamb Salad!

Then I made the  Tzatziki - A photo can be seen here

350g/12oz Greek yogurt
1 cucumber
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, pushed through the garlic press
dash of extra virgin olive oil
paprika, for sprinkling

Method
1.De-seeding the cucumber before grating. Place the grated cucumber in a fine strainer and press to squeeze out all the excess liquid.
2.Combine the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice and garlic. Add a dash of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.
3.Leftovers can be sorted in the fridge but will separate slightly. Just mix with a fork before serving again!

I then turned the chick pea side dish into hummus by adding a large glug of oil and a tablespoon of tahini paste before whizzing it to a smooth paste (sort of... we all like a bit of texture in our lives!!!)
A beef tomato salad  - Ripe tomatoes slices, white onion finely chopped, torn basil (used dried at a pinch), glug of oil, salt and pepper and a generous glug of balsamic vinegar and you're done! Cover and let marinate until you're ready to serve.
 
A mixed green salad finished it all off nicely!!

Pitta bread made with wholemeal bread was equally good!



We served all this with copious amounts of Procecco, sparkling water and squash for the kids. For dessert I made Turkish Delight Syllabub  again I need to apologise to Nigella, I subbed lots of things in this but it still turned out fab... Tia Maria instead of Cointreau for a start and the chocolate on the top was more appropriate with the change too I think... hey, it worked for us, so no complaints!!!
 

Day 30... 10 days left...

Thursday morning and I woke up starving, which is a sure sign I am wheat free. I don't get hungry when I'm stuffed full of wheat, that bloated feeling takes that away, so breakfast was a welcomed sight today.

3 slices of unsmoked back bacon, a large open cap mushroom stuffed with Gouda cheese and a fried egg all washed down with two latte mugs full of hot water... now that should last me until lunch!

I'm am being treated by my Mum to a pamper day complete with  three course home cooked lunch. Now I'm not getting my hopes up too much here, its a day that has been arranged by her sheltered housing team and although they usually organise some fab treats, trips and social events, I will be the youngest one there by miles, the only one with my own teeth (expecting soft vegetables and a mushy pudding!) and the only one who will be able to out run the warden...wish me luck, I'll report back as to what war time favourite meal I had to endure!!!

Well I take it all back, I don't have photos but it was a very pleasant day. The three course lunch was a revelation... really really nice. I had melon and ginger for starter, orange chicken with roasted vegetables (I left the potatoes) and to finish I had a small portion of fruit salad with double cream.  Damage limitation... no wheat which is my problem so great on that front and nothing too bad on the IPD front... I even won the raffle!

Dinner - Depends on what I am fed at lunch time, I may make a cauliflower pizza base with a garden ranch topping!

I did make the pizza... and very nice it was too...

Cauliflower pizza base

with a garden ranch topping

The recipes can be found on this page.... click here!

Day 28 - And I'm about to make some crackers...

... don't worry, they're not wheat ladened ones, these are Elly's Linseed Bread with added nuts and cheese ones.  Judy says its a fairly flexible recipe and I can throw in it whenever I have to hand... so here goes...

100 gm ground linseed

25 gm ground almonds

50 gm walnuts, broken roughly

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons wheat bran
2 tablespoons flaked almonds (if you don't want to use seeds just add more almonds and walnuts)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon onion granules [or ~ 1/3 tsp. onion powder]
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
100 gm cheese (e.g. strong cheddar, stilton, parmesan)
2 tablespoons plain protein powder (only if you have it)
2 eggs, large
3 tablespoons peanut or light olive oil
about 4 tablespoons water (you may need to add more when you have added the dry ingredients if it is too stiff)

Mix all the dry ingredients together; whisk egg, water and oil in a bowl, then add dry ingredients and mix well.

Place in a plastic food box, I use one that is 19 x 12 cm. (7 1/2 X 4 3/4 inches)
Microwave for 3.5 to 4 minutes. Turn out onto rack and leave to cool.
Slice when cold - I get 20 slices from mine - and spread out on baking tins. [Judy's note: I only got 18 slices; will slice thinner next time.]
Dry out in a cool oven (about 200 F) (93 C) until crispy.
A long time at a low temperature is better than a short time at a high temperature for taste.

These keep for ages in a clip and lock box so are handy standbys. Don't be put off by the smell when they come out of the microwave, once they are oven baked they are delicious. As I said, the quantities are to taste, so experiment to find out your favourite. Enjoy, Elly

A picture of Judy's is on her her website here

Breakfast: egg & bacon (probs... haven't had it yet...)
Lunch: chicken caesar salad
Dinner: Lemon Pepper Prawns with Asparagus Pilaf (using cauliflower obviously)

Day 27 and I have new batteries in my Scales

We needed new batteries in the scales to weigh the suitcases... I knew he'd get on them this morning, I didn't hear a scream so it couldn't have been that bad.  I used them this mornign too... I've lost 9 1/2lbs in 26 days that's over a half a stone in weight, no wonder I can't feel my back fat and my trousers are feeling comfortable. I think its just given me the boost I need to carry on with the next 14 days!!! 

I will then go onto P2...

...until then I need to find some new recipes to have for breakfast as I'm sick of eggy stuff, any suggestions?

Breakfast: I had eggs!!!

Spicy sausage, leftover salsa gently fried with 2 eggs scrambled into them and served with homemade mayo!

Lunch: A Smörgåsbord of of cold meats and cheese... didn't want the tomatoes so Bobby and Ozzy shared them!

Dinner: Leftover lamb curry with Cauliflower rice. I've really got this rice business sorted, lightly steam cauli florets until tender then using the Pampered Chef  mix and chop chop it until its the consistency of rice. No mess, no fuss just neatly chopped cauliflower rice... I love you mix 'n' chop...

Text from Bex: I've had raw meat... blurgh!!!!  (I take it she wasn't impressed by the Carpaccio then?)

Saturday Day 18

Well I made it through the party without going too far from the pink path!  I drank G &T's without the G and I really didn't notice, I even felt a bit giggly with the excitement of the party so really didn't miss the alcohol part eitehr. 
It was also good that I was able to drive home at the end of it too, as the end arrived a little earlier than expected for us! Beccy suffered a migraine and we had to leave early :-(

Food was good though - we packed an in car picnic for the journey as we left straight after Jo had come in from school. While they snacked on pringles and munchies (*their choice as I don't choose to feed them such cr@p) I had chicken bites 7 kabanos. The party food couldn't have been any better, my sister had put a fab spread of different cheeses, crudites, cooked meats and crusty french bread (which I declined) so no cheats there!  The birthday boy was feeling no pain when we left last night, no idea how he's feeling this morning, still had no reply from my text. I do have the urge to ring him and sing (in a very loud voice) the HAPPY BIRTHDAY song, all 4 verses!!!!

On to today - Its another bright day, I have a clear head and a full tummy! 
For breakfast I had another Pampered Chef Stoneware cooked breakfast, complete with sausages, bacon, fried egg, mushrooms (have you tried baked mushrooms in the stoneware? Out of this world!!!) and roasted mini plum tomatoes.

Lunch - Can't even think about lunch yet as that breakfast will keep me going for ages yet. I do have salad stuff and cold meats in the fridge so something along those lines will probably play a big part should I need something.

Dinner - A vegetable curry is what I fancy at the moment, something light but flavoursome, with a bit of a kick, I also want to try that cauliflower technique again but using fresh cauli this time, I think it will turn out even better.

Pop back for recipes and photos once I've done them. 

I am getting a lot of readers from the IPD website, I hope its all going as well for you as it is for me, I'm losing weight and feeling much better and I don't feel as if I've compromised my diet either, in fact I am probably eating more vegetables and variety now than I was beforehand. Share your story, tell me how you are doing, I love reading your comments!

Day 10

Friday
Gosh this has been a long week, I think that must be because I went into work on Monday instead of Tuesday... thank cruncy its Friday!!!
To celebrate we had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Snack - kabanos sausages

Lunch - we had lunch out today, chicken breast with a cheese and salsa topping served with a mixed salad and a sparkling water

Dinner - Cauliflower pizza  breadsticks with a garlic dip

Day 9

Thursday and I'm feeling great! I noticed a really difference yesterday.
I'm alert when the alarm goes off, not groggy at all AND and I'm not sure I want to admit this, but I didn't need my afternoon nap yesterday either!!!  Each afternoon around about 3pm I usually get a slump in my energy levels, my batteries run out and I'm good for nothing, but yesterday I sat down when I got in from work and didn't fall asleep.... I carried on the conversation with one teenager until the other one came in and took over and I was still awake... an achievement in itself really!!  This has got to be directly related to my diet, I don't feel stuffed full of wheat, I have no sugar high to come off which in turn does not result in a sugar slump... if you're not feeling 100% look at what you eat, is it making you worse?

Breakfast - Cauliflower mash with grilled bacon....boring..... I know, but we like it and after all, some people have the same cereal every day for years!!  We love this breakfast, so we'll keep having it until it all runs out which will be tomorrow - its scrambled eggs and smoked salmon!!!

Snack - Mini Stuffing balls

Not a great photo but a lovely little snack. I use the butchers sausage meat mixed with onion, sage and pine nuts or apricots in P2, whizz everything but the nuts in the food processor then hand mix the nuts so they are left whole, roll into bite size balls and put them in one layer on a piece of stoneware and roast in a 180c fan oven for 15-20 minutes depending on size. You want them golden and sticky, so low and slow is the way to go.

Lunch - Left overs from the day before

Dinner - Spanish Chicken - Page 154 from the Pink book served with buttered cabbage

A meat feast of Spanish loveliness, chicken, chorizo, sausage onion, tomatoes and paprika, served with lightly steamed green beans made a great evening meal.

Lots of water today in the earlier part of the day and I slowed up by the evening... also walked to Nana's and back with Ozzy a good 40 minutes there and back!

Day 8

Wednesday

Breakfast - Cheese and Mushroom Omelette's

You can get the recipe and watch how Jamie Oliver makes the perfect omelette, by clicking on the highlighted text, just don't use a metal spatula on a non stick pan like he does!!!

Snack - Ham and mozzarella roll ups

Lunch - leftover chicken and Okra Curry & Cauliflower rice

Dinner - Courgette 'Spagetti' with a smoked salmon and tartare sauce

So simple to make. 
Use one large courgette per person and sprialize it, turning it into spaghetti shapes. Mix a small pot of creme fraiche with 2 tablespoons of homemade tartare sauce  black pepper, dill and chopped smoked salmon and mix well. A great low carb / wheat free meal!

Day 7

Tuesday

Breakfast - Cauliflower Mash & Bacon (Paul’s favourite, so must have it twice!)

Snack - Garlic, Lemon & chili chicken wings

Very easy to make; cut wings into three, throwing the tip away and popping the two meaty bits into a batter bowl, add chili oil, garlic, lemon slices and plenty of salt, pepper and oregano. Roast in a 200c oven until crispy and cooked right through. These are great at curbing those snack cravings! Obviously made all the better in a piece of Pampered Chef stoneware

No Photo we both forgot to take one... it was lovely tho! 

 

Lunch - Pastrami & Cherry Tomato Salad with homemade Mayonnaise
Not really a recipe just an assembly of ingredients. You can get the recipe for the mayo buy clicking the link above and on that page there is a link to a video of me making it... very very simple, but be warned once you've made it yourself you will never buy it again!

Frozen Okra in Asda 97p... amazing product

tbh not sure if it's IPD -but its green!!!

Maybe someone can comment and let me know - thanks!

 

Dinner - Chicken & Okra Curry with cauliflower rice...

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, diced
1/2 lbs fresh okra or 1 (10 ounce) packet frozen okra,
7 cloves garlic, 
1/2 red chili
7 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
salt 
1 teaspoon sugar ( or sugar substitute)

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions


If fresh okra is used, trim off any tough stems. If frozen okra is used, defrost and drain. Cut each pod into 3/4 inch lengths.
Put the garlic, Chili and three tablespoons of water in the blender and blend as thoroughly as possible to a smooth paste. Empty the mixture into a small bowl and add the ground cumin, coriander and turmeric and blend well.
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a skillet and add the whole cumin seeds.
Cook briefly until the seeds start to sizzle and add the spice paste.
Cook, stirring, about one minute.
Add Chicken and cook until it has no pink on the outside, then add the okra, salt, sugar and lemon juice and the remaining four tablespoons of water.
Stir to blend.
Bring to a simmer, cover closely and cook over very low heat about ten minutes.
Serve with Cauliflower rice

1 head of cauliflower, coarsely grated in a food processor, you could do it with a food chopper but it is quicker in a processor! Heat coconut oil in a large skillet and cook the cauliflower until tender, fry it in the oil a little longer than you think you should... I like it when it starts to pick up a little colour! Don't over cook thought as it starts to resemble Cauliflower mash... which is good, but not what you want here... texture is what we are after!